Locking Chicken operated coop door.

[Gifa]

The husband and I saw this...

And thought... why not combine it with this "gravity-actuated" locking mechanism:

So the husband asks... are roosting birds ever spooked off of their roost by predators or whatnot? If so... would this defeat the purpose of the chicken operated door?

 

[joan1708]

The first you tube video is very clever. I have not seen that one before. The second one has been around awhile, looks complicated to me.

 

[Gifa]

Super clever, eh?

As for the second video... the lock is medieval easy to build... it's just shaped wood on hinges with a pendulum that actuates it. We were not intending to use the powered motor part of it.

What we are actually thinking, is attaching the rope that pulls the door up in the first video to an actuated locking mechanism as on the second video to create a chicken controlled door, that locks when closed (by the chickens)

 

[joan1708]

So what if the chickens get excited about anything and get off the roost. will the door open back up?

 

[Gifa]

Yes, the door would open... But do they hop down at night for any reason...That's what we were wanting to know.

 

[gale65]

That is neat and clever, but most of the time we have chickens getting on the roost at the same time as some are still outside. So they would get locked out. I think it looks like it takes all of the chickens' weight to make the door shut but we have the occasional hen that likes to sleep off the roost so that would make the door stay open all night if we did that. Also it would be harder to get the weight balance just right with more chickens.

 

[joan1708]

Mine will get off the roost when they are broodie.

 

[The Reverend]

Well, what did you end up doing?